Hide-n-No Mind Read
by The Pen Vs The Sword
Summary: In order to cheer Krystal up, Fox suggests a family day with Marcus. But Krystal suspects he has more up his sleeve. Fox/Krystal. One-shot. Requested by chidoriprime.


**A/N:** This comes as a request from chidoriprime, who requested a story about Fox, Krystal, and kid having a family day.

 **Sword:** It's been too long since we've done a Star Fox story!

 **Pen:** Not long enough.

 **Sword:** I'll get my Arwing ready!

Ah, this isn't quite that kind of story. So let's begin. Fox, Krystal, and all related characters and materials belong to Nintendo. The story, Sword, and Pen belongs to me. Please not use without permission. And now, please enjoy.

 **Hide-n-No Mind Read**

Marcus waddled past his mother's bench, giggling and moving as fast as his short, stubby legs allowed. Krystal smiled as her toddler ran past, his jubilant innocence infectious. Several other families were relaxing and spending the sunny day together in the city park, playing sports, enjoying picnics, and enjoying the distant playground.

Her son ran around her bench, crawling underneath it and digging through the wooden chips at her feet. "Dada?" he asked, brushing against her ankles.

"No, he's not under there, sweetie," she said, setting her book down. Fox had chosen a good place to hide this time and she hadn't been paying attention. _No matter_ , she thought. Krystal steadied her breathing and closed her eyes, her mind expanding and reaching out across the park. The presence of the other families entered her broad consciousness, their individual life signs as unique as their physical features and thoughts. If she felt inclined, the spectrum could stretch out to the city as a whole, becoming as numerous as seashells on a beach.

Krystal picked through her collection of shells, shifting them aside until she located the correct one, a cocky attitude that it was concealed from all eyes. High in the tree behind her. She tapped Marcus' back, calling his name until he looked up. "Over there," she said, pointing. "Go find Dada."

"Dada, dada, dada," he said, skirting back underneath the bench and racing off to the tree. He stopped at the trunk, beating his little fists on it. "Dada?"

His telepathy had yet to refine like hers, only aware of vague, nearby senses. But she had noticed that recently he had started to learn the difference between hers and Fox's life signs and everyone else. The recognition in his eyes was plain and he knew his father was around. He circled the tree, laughing and stumbling on the roots. Krystal draped her arm over the bench and watched, wanted to give him another hint, but too enamored by his antics to interrupt.

Marcus waved to her and she returned it. The empty finger on her hand reminded her of why they came here to begin with and she sighed. A couple of weeks ago, she had lost her engagement ring, a beautiful diamond ring that Fox had spent a lot of time and money picking out for her when he proposed. She remembered it down to the detail: the walk on the beach, the gorgeous sunset skipping across the ocean's waves, Fox's obvious nervousness, but doing his best to block her probes into his mind until he bowed on one knee and opened the ring box. And the night following, well, best not to think of _that_ with Marcus around.

Then two weeks ago, she stepped out of the shower, having placed her ring on the sink for safe-keeping, only to find it gone. Fox and she had turned the house upside-down searching for it to no avail. And now, she had little hope of finding it again.

Fox, bless him, had done his best to cheer her up, taking her out, making dinner, whatever he could. Even this morning, she already picked up from his thoughts that he had a surprise for her. She had expected some kind of present or gift. Instead, she had suggested a family day together, a chance for all of them to relax. She had agreed, grateful to be out in the open air and surrounded by so much positive emotion brimming from others. It had been just what she needed, taking her mind off the ring. _At least until now._

"Dada!" Marcus finally located Fox. The handsome red vulpine hopped down from tree branch to tree branch and landed beside his boy. The toddler clapped and raised his arms, reaching for him. "Up! Up!"

"You want to go up too?" he asked. "Sure, you can go up. To the sky!" He picked up Marcus and threw him into the air, catching him in one arm and spinning him around. The two made Arwing sounds and Fox ran Marcus over to the bench, "landing" him on his stomach.

Krystal snorted into her arm, but joined in the silliness. "Looks like this one needs a tune-up," she said. "Better open the hatch. How do I do that again?" She lingered a solitary finger beside Marcus' ribs. "I think it's…here?" She jammed her hand into his ribs, tickling him. Marcus shrieked and rolled over and away from her.

"No, it's here," Fox said, taking the other side. Marcus giggled and nearly toppled off the bench, but Krystal grabbed him at the last moment, pulling him back to safety.

"Found Dada," he said, standing up and touching Fox's face.

"Yes, I wonder how," Fox said sarcastically. "Could it be because Mommy's a cheater?"

"I resent that accusation," she said.

"Uh-huh. And Marcus just happened to come upon that tree? I bet Mommy couldn't find us without her telepathy."

"I could too."

"Then show us. How about it?" he asked Marcus. "Hide-n-seek with Mommy?"

"Yeah," he said, tugging on her ring finger. The same finger that now bore a light purple indention in her deep violet fur where her ring had last been.

She sighed and smiled. "I'm a bit tired right now. Why don't you two go ahead and keep playing?"

"One game," he said. She didn't have to read his thoughts to understand the unspoken words. _It's not as much fun without you._ He was trying his best.

She did, however, pick up on something else up his sleeve. A back-up plan in case this didn't cheer her up? Whatever it was, he was throwing up strong mental blocks to keep her out. It had taken years of dating and marriage for him to learn. She could circumvent them if she wanted, but spoiling the surprise would be no fun.

"Pwease, Mommy?" Marcus asked, yanking her finger harder and trying to lift her up. While his appearance matched her violet fur, save for the white stripe on his head like Fox, he was definitely his father's son. She couldn't deny those bright, wide eyes, adventurous just like Fox. And at this moment, pleading puppy dog eyes that broke her final wall.

"Okay, okay," she set her book down. "I'll play."

"Count to thirty," Fox said, running off with Marcus on his shoulders. "And no telepathy!"

That would be difficult, like muffling her ears or severing her nerves of touch. Still, she cut herself off from her telepathy as much as possible and started counting. They dashed off, laughing to one another while she counted slowly.

When she finished, she spun this way and that. No sign of them at all. Not in the surrounding trees or in the crowd of people around.

Knowing Fox, he was light on his feet and would have sprinted far. The only spot to really hide would be in the nearby woods, where bundles of trees shaded pedestrians from the sun. It was also dark enough that Fox wouldn't immediately stick out.

Grabbing her book, she strolled into the woods. Few people were in there today. She wandered in between the trees, checking high and low for them, behind trunks, in ditches, and in small coves formed out of rocks and bridges.

For a little while, she forgot to completely isolate herself from her telepathy and a familiar sense tingled at the back of her mind. She looked in the direction, sure it was them. It couldn't be helped. After all, it was second nature for her power to poke through. _Got you._

Krystal crept quietly through the woods, climbing a tree when she was nearby the source and leaping from branch to branch, her skills just as sharp as they used to be. _Still got it._

When she reached the area she had sensed Fox and Marcus at, she didn't immediately see them. The small clearing was far from the path cutting through the woods and a small brook babbled down a sloping hill.

Marcus wandered into view, stomping through the water, and grabbing clumpfuls of dirt. Krystal shook her head and swung around the branch, dropping to her feet. "Mommy!" Marcus said, running to her and dropping the dirt in trails behind him.

She picked him up, brushing him off. "Now, where's your father?"

A finger tapped her shoulder. Up above, Fox hung from his own branch, smugly smiling at her while upside-down. "Found you," he said.

"I thought I was seeking you two."

He shrugged. "Oh, well. At least you're here."

"And what's so special about here?" she asked.

"Nothing much," he said, reaching into his pocket. "I thought it would be a nice place to give you this." He produced a small box and carefully, checking his own position and the box to make sure that nothing would fall out, he opened it for her and she gasped. Inside, her lost ring sat in red velvet. But rather than the single diamond from before, there was a garnet and amethyst stone on either side of the jewel.

In that moment, Fox's mental shields came down and she knew the whole truth about her "lost" ring. She had to give him credit. He had kept his mind cleared to never arouse her suspicion.

 _It wasn't easy_ , she heard his thought. "Check the inside," he added aloud as she took the ring out.

She twisted the ring around until she found an inscription on the inner part of the gold band. _Together forever._

"Do you like it?" he asked.

She blinked back tears and slipped it on her finger. "I love it. Thank you." She set Marcus down and grabbed both sides of Fox's face, pulling him into an impassioned kiss. After a few seconds, Fox waved his hands and rapidly tapped her shoulders. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Blood rush," he said, hefting himself upwards to latch onto the tree branch and falling to his feet. He wobbled and stumbled dizzily, holding onto the trunk for support.

She chuckled and admired the ring while his head caught up to the rest of his body. Originally, he had told her that the diamond he chose for her ring had reminded him of her, as "it was clear as crystal". It was corny, yes, but sentimental all the same. Now a garnet and amethyst hugged the diamond, perfectly matching her husband's and their son's own colors.

It was the sweetest gift she had ever received and she threw her arms around him, kissing him again. This time, his arms encircled her and they slowly slid down against the tree trunk, sitting on the roots. She crawled into his lap and he grinned against her lips. He had the same thought in mind that she did. She didn't need to read his mind to know that. From where she was sitting, it was pretty obvious. Later tonight, once Marcus went to bed, she had a gift of her own for him.

Speaking of Marcus, he saw his parents together and rushed over, squirming in between them to be part of the embrace. Krystal and Fox broke apart, taking a few moments to cool down. Fox ruffled his son's head and Krystal laid hers on Fox's chest, breathing softly.

 _Together forever._

Yes. And she wouldn't have it any other way.

 **A/N:** That was a fun stress-reliever.

 **Sword:** Ahhhh. *floats into the sky* Such fluff.

 **Pen:** Ugh, I always feel like I gorged cotton candy after writing this stuff.

Different strokes. Anyway, thank you all for reading and please let us know what you think. We always love hearing from all of you.

 **Sword:** Bye!


End file.
